Thursday, 1 August 2013

Leaving Work
The first two weeks of July were my last weeks at work. It was really sad to say goodbye to all of the children and teenagers and staff that I have been working with here. It's hard to be leaving them, especially one group of teenage girls who have really begun to open up to me and we were able to start a Bible study together. I'm really grateful to know the great work of Rebusca will carry on here and will keep praying for this project and these young people.

Conference
From the 16th-20th July we were together in Rio with all of the Latin Link Brazil team for a conference - good teaching, good time of refreshment and really good to meet lots of missionaries working in all kinds of projects all over Brasil and hear about the amazing things God is doing. It was a really encouraging time and has given me lots to think and pray about with regards to the future.

Holiday
My project, Rebusca, is still closed for winter break, so after conference, I spent a couple of days in Rio with Hannah which was really fun. We then travelled up North to a city called Belem to visit one of our best friends from CEM. It was an amazing week and I am so grateful for all the opportunities that I've had to travel here in Brasil - it has enabled me to get a bit more of an idea of what Brasil is like as a whole - even though it's so massive and so varied!!

Coming Home
I travel home to England a week today leaving Vicosa on the 8th August. I can't believe how quickly time has flown by! I've got really mixed feelings about coming home - I'm super excited to see family and Patrick and friends again and also have always felt quite aware that this was a short-term project. On the other hand I am really sad to be leaving Brasil. I'll be leaving behind an amazing work project, really close friends, church and also what just has become normal life. I feel that God has really put this amazing country on my heart so hopefully it won't be the last time I am here!

Thank You
Thank you all so much for your prayers and encouragement over the past 6 months - it's been amazing and I feel so blessed. I've grown so much in God and learnt so much about him and love him more than I did when I came here. Thank you God and thank you friends.

Thank God for:
An incredible 6 months of learning, growing and serving here in Brasil.
Huge improvement in my Portuguese!
Great support from everyone at home
Everything that He's been doing especially through Rebusca and ABU

Please pray for:
The continued work here in Vicosa and Brasil in general!
Direction for what I am going to do after uni.
Safe trip home and to settle quickly back into life there.